Display apparatus

ABSTRACT

A display apparatus for greeting cards or snapshots consisting of a strip of material, preferably felt, containing partitions which enable the cards or snapshots to be exhibited while the display apparatus is hung in a vertical position. The display apparatus, upon which can also be buttons pinned and ribbons attached, is suspended by its own versatile loops from a wide variety of supporting structures.

O United States Patent [1 1 1111 3,797,150 ncme 1451 Mar. 19, 1974 [54] DISPLAY APPARATUS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: Sandraieanne Bushe Hinckley, 24,767 11 /1903 Great Britain 40 12 11711 E..Florence Ave. Apt. 27, Santa Fe Springs, C 90670 A Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell 22 l M 9, 1970 1 Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Cofitreras 1. N 7s [211 App [57 ABSTRACT 1 A display apparatus for greeting cards or snapshots }J.tS.(gl. "a... Consis g of a strip f material, p f bly felt con- 58] 124 124 4 taining partitions which enable the cards or snapshots a to be exhibited while the display apparatus is hung in a vertical position. The display apparatus, upon which [56] References Cited can also be buttons pinned and ribbons attached, is

UNITED STATES PATENTS suspended by its own versatile loops from a wide varil,479,423 1/1924 Barton 40/124 X ety f supporting structures, 2,939,234 6/1960 1-1111 40/128 3,309,805 3/1967 Thomas 40/159 x 7 Clams, 9 Drawmg Flgures Pmmnam 19 m4 379?; 150

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minimum 1 m4 3397'; 1 50 sum 2 or 3 211% Zfa 25 i,

. zo E i /q i FIGURE '4 FIGURE 5 F'IGUE 6 PATENTED m 19 m4 3 797'. 1 5O sum 3 or a IGUR 8 FIGUR q DISPLAY APPARATUS BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION:

This invention concerns a holder for cards, photo graphs, buttons, and the like arranged to display the cards and buttons in an attractive and sanitary manner.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a holder and display device for cards, snapshots, and the like which vary in size. The display apparatus is inexpensively constructed and may be easily used by inexperienced persons.

Another object is to provide an ornamental, novel means for securing buttons.

This invention is suspended in a novel manner.

The principal advantages of the display apparatus described herein are listed as follows: (1) easy insertion or removal of a card; (2) easy change of the length of any card that is to remain visible on the display apparatus; (3) selection of a wide range of card lengths to be shown; (4) easy insertion or removal of buttons; (5) display of a wide range of sizes and number of buttons; (6) inexpensive construction of the display apparatus; (7) possible direct reading of card and total buttons;

and (8) novel hanging of the display apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:

The display apparatus and its application are described by the accompanying drawings and by the explanation that follows. However, the drawings are not to be interpreted as a limitation of the design or arrangement of the display apparatus or its components so long as the basic features are retained.

' FIG. 1 is a perspective viewof a card and button display device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is another display device embodying the invention, card not being shown on display.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an interlocking methodfor hoding items on the device.

FIG. 4 is a view showing one representative decoration.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view showing possible construction to create loop and design on finished device.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing one method of hanging the device and positioning a card in the guide grooves.

FIG. 7 is a front view of completed hanging as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows an alternate method of hanging the display apparatus.

FIG. 9 shows a variation of construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 9 a display apparatus 10 made of felt, cloth, paper, metal foil, plastic, etc. The material isso cut as to form alternative methods of hanging. FIG. 1 shows a loop 14 which is the means of hanging device 10. The loop 14 must have a large enough diameter so a rod, spring tension pole, or similar device may be inserted so as to suspend 10. The loop 14 may be glued, stapled, snapped, or stitched.

As shown in FIG. 1, the display apparatus 10 includes two triangular pieces of stiff material so placedas to form the wings of a butterfly. Only'edge 11 is stitched or glued. The short legs of the triangles 12 overlap to form a pocket by means to retain a card, snapshot or the like by placing one edge parallel to edge 1 1 and flap 12 holding it in place. I

In FIG. 2 is shown another form of display device embodying the invention. For the display device 14, diagonal slits cut parallel to each other at opposite corners with a total of four slits per card. Spacing of the slits may vary to hold different sizes of cards. The vertical slits 16 are so placed that a pencil or pen may be held by the display apparatus.

On the stiff material of the display apparatus 10, a plurality of separate, generally W-shaped slits 17, with each flap of the slit 17 being bendable out of the plane of the display apparatus 10 in either side of said material, two of the flapping face in one direction and the other flap faces in the opposite direction to comprise a flap group; this group of three flaps is arranged in rows with the flaps on one row being staggered with respect to corresponding flaps in adjacent rows whereby cards of the same or various sizes may be held by the flaps on either or both sides of the W slit with the flaps overlapping opposite card edges.

In FIG.4 item 18 is one representative decoration. Others may include objects of nature, geometric designs, organization symbols, etc. The bottom of the device is folded up toward the top to form pocket 19. The sides 20 perpendicular to the fold are fastened.

FIG. 5 shows general dimensions for one loop construction. The dimensions would vary according to the design 18 as shown in FIG. 4. The upper portion 21 of the device is cut 22 vertically to the top of the design 18. Upper portion is tapered so that area 23 is the exact dimension of the slit 25 which is at the base of the design 18. Area 24a and 24b is created to form part of the design 18 and hold the formed loop in position when placed through slit 25. Slit 26 in area 24a holds the area 24b in position to form a loop for another version of suspending the device.

The guide grooves 27 are positioned horizontally across the lower portion of the device 10 below the design 18. Each guide groove 27 is fastened through the mid-line forming a top and bottom flap to hold cards.

FIG. 6 shows in perspective view how a single card is inserted into the upper and lower guide grooves 27 of the positioning material. After the card has been fully positioned between the two blocks, it may be pushed firmly against the portion of the adjacent card which has been previously fitted into the upper guide groove of the positioning material. Similarly, successive cards may be inserted in like manner so that they butt against the edges of card lengths previously inserted in the upper guide groove. When removal of any card is necessary, the card only needs to be pushed along the guide grooves.

FIG. 6 shows how theloop is formed by folding the upper portion 21 of the device 10 over and under a suggested hanging structure 28 positioning areas 24a and 24b thru slit 25 thus completing the design 18.

FIG. 7 shows the front view of the completed hanging of device 10 as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows an alternative method of hanging device 10. The upper portion 21 is separated at cut 22 and positioned around the suggested hanging structure 28. Area 24b is placed thru the slit 26 in area 24a, thus completing the loop.

The device is designed to hang from any desired structures such aslockers, cabinets, book shelves, window frames, bed bars and bolsters, tension bars, venetion blinds, door or drawer handles and knobs, bulletin boards, railings, and the like; allowing for improved control of the safety and cleanliness of displayed items, hung within sight yet away from sources of contaminatlon.

FIG. 9 shows that the display device 10 may be constructed so that when hung it is held in place by a multiplicity of loops.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein described and illustrated, and that various other specific forms may be devised within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States letters Patent are the following claims:

1. I claim a vertical display device formed of a sheet of flexible material wherein the top is slit vertically for a part of the devices length; below which slit, and separated therefrom by unslit material, there is a horizontal slit; with the upper portion of the device tapered to a neck sufficiently small as to fit within the aforesaid horizontal slit; with the topmost portion of said device forming, on either side of the aforementioned vertical slit, lips wider than said neck; such that the topmost portion may be looped over a suitable supporting structure and inserted thru the aforementioned horizontal slit adequately to retard reverse passage of the topmost portion so that the device will hang freely from its supporting structure.

2. I claim the combination according to claim 1 wherein attached to the topmost portion of the device is ornamental matter such that the top lips, when inserted thru the horizontal slit, form the completing part of an ornamental design appended around the horizontal slit.

3. I claim the combination according to claim 1 wherein one topmost lip contains a horizontal slit so dimensioned as to accommodate and hold the opposite part of the upper portion of the device when the two halves of the upper portion encircle a suitable supporting structure.

4. I claim the combination according to claim 1 wherein the remainder of the device, below the upper neck and related horizontal slit, contains parallel diagonal slits for the support and display of cards, photographs, ribbons, and similar items.

5. I claim the combination according to claim 4 wherein the diagonal slits are joined to form W shaped slits.

6. I claim the combination according to claim 1 wherein horizontal strips of relatively stiff material are attached by the mid-portion of said strips to the device, facilitating the insertion, for display purposes, between said strips, of cards, photographs, and similar objects.

7. I claim the combination according to claim 1 upon which are attached two pieces of material, each cut in a triangular pattern, and each piece attached to the vertical display device along its one lower edge farther from the other piece, with the two pieces juxtaposed so as together to form a retaining device to hold cards and similar objects. 

1. I claim a vertical display device formed of a sheet of flexible material wherein the top is slit vertically for a part of the device''s length; below which slit, and separated therefrom by unslit material, there is a horizontal slit; with the upper portion of the device tapered to a neck sufficiently small as to fit within the aforesaid horizontal slit; with the topmost portion of said device forming, on either side of the aforementioned vertical slit, lips wider than said neck; such that the topmost portion may be looped over a suitable supporting structure and inserted thru the aforementioned horizontal slit adequately to retard reverse passage of the topmost portion so that the device will hang freely from its supporting structure.
 2. I claim the combination according to claim 1 wherein attached to the topmost portion of the device is ornamental matter such that the top lips, when inserted thru the horizontal slit, form the completing part of an ornamental design appended around the horizontal slit.
 3. I claim the combination according to claim 1 wherein one topmost lip contains a horizontal slit so dimensioned as to accommodate and hold the opposite part of the upper portion of the device when the two halves of the upper portion encircle a suitable supporting structure.
 4. I claim the combination according to claim 1 wherein the remainder of the device, below the upper neck and related horizontal slit, contains parallel diagonal slits for the support and display of cards, photographs, ribbons, and similar items.
 5. I claim the combination according to claim 4 wherein the diagonal slits are joined to form W - shaped slits.
 6. I claim the combination according to claim 1 wherein horizontal strips of relatively stiff material are attached by the mid-portion of said strips to the device, facilitating the insertion, for display purposes, between said strips, of cards, photographs, and similar objects.
 7. I claim the combination according to claim 1 upon which are attached two pieces of material, each cut in a triangular pattern, and each piece attached to the vertical display device along its one lower edge farther from the other piece, with the two pieces juxtaposed so as together to form a retaining device to hold cards and similar objects. 